2014-15 ScheduleFARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State University women's basketball team conducted its first practice of the 2014-15 season on Sunday, Oct. 5, at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. It also marked the inaugural practice under new head coach
Maren Walseth, the 10th head coach in NDSU women's basketball history.
"Our first practice was really good. We've had summer and fall workouts, but to see things come together, and spend more time on some things was really beneficial," Walseth said.
The Bison return three starters from last season's team in senior point guard
Brooke LeMar and junior forwards
Marena Whittle and
Holly Johnson.
LeMar, the reigning Summit League Newcomer of the Year and an All-Summit League second-team honoree, led the Bison in scoring and assists last season with 15.1 points and 5.3 assists per game. The Canyon Country, Calif., native also made a team-high 3.8 free throws per game and was second on the team in three-point field goal percentage, making 31 treys on 84 attempts for 37-percent.
Whittle, a native of Victoria, Australia, was the leading rebounder for NDSU in 2013-14, averaging 7.1 boards per game. She also posted team-highs for blocks (27) and steals (34). Her 13.4 points per game ranked second-highest on the team, as did her free-throw percentage of 83-percent (57-of-69).
Johnson averaged 13 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season. The Minot, N.D., native posted 18 steals and 13 blocks last season and made a team-high 39 three-point field goals.
NDSU also returns forwards
Liz Keena (senior),
Alisa Brown (senior) and
Emily Spier (sophomore) along with guards
Kahla Becken (junior),
Brittany Wiebe (redshirt-sophomore) and
Hannah Breske (sophomore).
The Bison welcome three newcomers to the team for 2014-15 in freshmen
Brooke Yaggie (Thief River Falls, Minn.),
Taylor Thunstedt (Spicer, Minn.) and
McKenna Happke (Coon Rapids, Minn.).
NDSU will tip-off the 2014-15 season at home in the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse with an exhibition game against Bemidji State (Minn.) on Nov. 7 before hosting Kent State for the regular season opener a week later on Nov. 14.
